Ásbjörg Jónsdóttir, Birgit Djupedal and Heiðdís Hanna SigurðardóttirÁsbjörg Jónsdóttir is a composer, pianist and jazz vocalist. She received her BA in composition from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2014 and her MA in composition from the same institution in 2018. Her music has been performed by established groups and performers, such as Duo Harpverk, Elektra Ensemble, the choir of Reykjavík Dome Church, (Reykjavík Cathedral Choir), Caput, Hljómeyki and Heiða Árnadóttir, and the Foot in the Door ensemble from The Hartt School (University of Hartford); repeatedly at Dark Music Days in Reykjavík. Ásbjörg is engaged in versatile musical projects such as recordings, arrangements and musical research. She is currently working on a research project about jazz in Iceland in collaboration with Þorbjörg Daphne Hall. The project has been funded by the Icelandic Student Innovation Fund, FÍH and the Iceland Academy of the Arts and chapters written by Jónsdóttir and Hall will be published by Oxford University press in the Oxford History of Jazz in Europe. Ásbjörg is engaged with various musical activities. In addition to her composition career, she conducts a children's choir and teaches music theory and recently published a songbook with for children's choir.
Birgit Djupedal, born 1994, is a composer from Bodø, Norway. In addition to composing in many different styles, Djupedal is also a performer and a choir conductor. In 2016 Djupedal moved to Reykjavík to study at the Iceland University of the Arts under the guidance of Hróðmar I. Sigurbjörnsson. She finished her master’s degree in composition in spring 2018. Djupedal's music is acoustic, traditional mixed with more contemporary harmonies, often with an element of happening. Djupedal has written music for ensembles such as Caput, Oslo Domkor, Dómkórinn í Reykjavík and her own female chamber choir IMPRA. Her music has been performed at festivals such as Festspillene i Bergen, Nordland Musikkfestuke, Trondheim Kammermusikkfestival, Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, Skálholt Summer Concerts, Vaka Folk Festival in Akureyri and Reykjavík Opera Days. Heiðdís Hanna Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic singer. She started her vocal studies with Guðrún Jóhanna Jónsdóttir at Garðabær Music School and then headed to Germany where she studied for three years at Musikhochschule Freiburg with Prof. Angela Nick. She continued her studies for a bachelor’s degree at the Iceland University of the Arts with Þóra Einarsdóttir, Ólöf Kolbrún Harðardóttir and Kristinn Sigmundsson. Her next accomplishment was a master’s degree in NAIP (New Audiences and Innovative Practice) from the same institution. Heiðdís Hanna was one of the winners of the Young Soloists Competition of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in 2016. She used to perform regularly at the Pearls of Icelandic Songs concert series in Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall. She made her debut on the opera stage as Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni with the Icelandic Opera in 2016. Heiðdís Hanna has also performed with the electric punk band HATARI. This summer Heiðdís Hanna sang the role of 1.Dame in Mozart’s The Magic Flute in the production of Escales Lyriques on the French island l’Île d’Yeu. |